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ANGUS COUNCIL

MINUTE of MEETING of ANGUS COUNCIL held in the Town and County Hall, Forfar on Wednesday 17 May 1995 at 5.30 pm.

Present: Councillors Mrs FRANCES E DUNCAN, BRIAN M C MILNE, ALEX KING, RICHARD B SPEIRS, ALEX W SHAND, HELEN ANGUS, Mrs SHEENA WELSH, IAN J ANGUS, Mrs RENATE LAMONT, JOHN C GIBB, Mrs GLENNIS MIDDLETON, WILLIAM MIDDLETON, IAN HUDGHTON, WILLIAM CROWE, SANDY WEST, GEORGE NORRIE, Mrs KATHLEEN M RITCHIE, WILLIAM DOIG, IAN MacKINTOSH, STEWART N MOWATT, GEORGE ALLAN, THOMAS YOUNG, FRANK ELLIS, WALLIE LEASK and ROBERT J MURRAY.

Apology: An apology for absence was intimated on behalf of Councillor GEORGE LAMONT.

Councillor Mrs DUNCAN, Convener, in the Chair.

1. MINUTES

(1) Previous Meeting

The minute of meeting of the Council of 3 May 1995 was approved as a correct record and signed by the Convener.

(2) Interim Executive Committee

The minute of meeting of the Interim Executive Committee of 16 May 1995 was submitted and approved subject to hereinafter noted:-

Posts of Director of Education and Director of Personnel (Article 2(ii) refers).

It was agreed that interviews for the post of Director of Personnel should now take place at 9.00 am on Wednesday 24 May 1995 with interviews for the post of Director of Education to be held the same day at 1.00 pm.

2. RESPONSIBILITIES OF DIRECTOR OF PROPERTY SERVICES

With reference to Article 3 (Angus Council 3 May 1993), there was submitted Report No AC12/95 by the Chief Executive seeking approval of a number of matters relating to the Property Services Department, in particular the structure and functions of the Department.

The Council agreed:-

(i) that the Property Services Department be allocated the responsibilities as detailed in Report No AC12/95;

(ii) that the salary of the Director of Property Services be set at 75% of the Chief Executive’s salary; and

(iii) that the post of Director of Property Services be advertised as soon as possible.

3. FUTURE OF TAYSIDE CONTRACTS WITHIN THE ANGUS COUNCIL AREA

With reference to Article 11 (Angus Council 3 May 1995), there was submitted Report No AC13/95 by the Chief Executive seeking the Council’s support for the retention of Tayside Contracts. The Report detailed the main factors in reaching this proposal and clarified the position with regard to property and plant which would be managed by Tayside Contracts.

After discussion, during which it was stressed that Angus District Council’s DSO be safeguarded, it was agreed:-

(i) that the continuation of Tayside Contracts in its present form as a single entity under a Joint Committee or a Joint Board be supported subject to agreement in due course on the remit of a Joint Committee or Joint Board; and

(ii) that Tayside Contracts should continue its management of property and plant on the same basis as Council housing stock under the Director of Housing and commercial property under Economic Development, with the Department of Property Services and other appropriate Departments providing technical, legal and other professional services on an agency basis.

The question of whether the ownership of property would be vested in the Joint Committee or the individual Councils required further consideration and would be the subject of a future report.

4. LOCAL GOVERNMENT REFORM - DECENTRALISATION

With reference to Article 4 (Angus Council 3 May 1995), there was submitted Report No AC14/95 by the Chief Executive together with a suggested response to the Scottish Office on decentralisation schemes.

The Council approved the terms of the response for submission to the Scottish Office and instructed the Chief Executive to submit a report in due course on the options available to Angus Council for decentralisation, together with proposals as to how consultation might most effectively be conducted with a view to assisting the Council to take a decision on the nature of decentralisaion to operate in Angus.

5. MEMBERS’ ALLOWANCES

With reference to Article 5 (Angus Council, 3 May 1995), there was submitted Report No AC19/95 by the Interim Financial Officer containing additional guidance on the question of subsistence to elected members who served on Angus Council and/or Angus District Council and Tayside Regional Council.

The Council approved the scheme as detailed in the report for the period of the shadow year.

6. SPECIAL RESPONSIBILITY ALLOWANCES

There was submitted the publication "Advice to New Councils - Special Responsibility Allowances" which had recently been issued by COSLA.

The Council noted the publication and agreed that the Chief Executive should submit a report on the scheme after the Committee structure had been finalised.

7. CONSULTATION DOCUMENTS

There were submitted:-

(1) Letter dated 13 April 1995 from the Scottish Office Home & Health Department on the Tayside Combined Police Area Amalgamation Draft Scheme;

(2) Letter dated 21 April 1995 from the Scottish Office Home & Health Department on the Mid-Eastern Combined Fire Services Area Administration Draft Scheme; and

(3) Letter dated 13 April 1995 from the Scottish Office Education Department on the consultation paper on School Boards.

The Council agreed that draft responses thereon be prepared by the Chief Executive and submitted to the Council for consideration in due course.

8. INFORMATION ON SERVICES PROVIDED BY TAYSIDE REGIONAL COUNCIL

There was submitted and noted Report No AC19/95 by the Chief Executive on services currently provided by Tayside Regional Council and advising that further detailed reports on the various issues/services referred to would be submitted systematically to the Council or its Committees at the appropriate time.

A package of material focusing on each of the Regional Council Departments and its functions was also tabled for members’ information/reference purposes.

9. CONFERENCE: "HELPING COUNCILLORS TO BE EFFECTIVE"

There was submitted details of the above conference to be held in Aberdeen on 23 June 1995 and in Glasgow on 26 June 1995.

The Council noted the position and agreed that the Chief Executive arrange in-house seminars along similar lines with particular reference to the needs of the Angus Council area.

10. GIDDINGS & LEWIS BUILDING, ARBROATH

Mr Trevor Skempton, District Architect, Angus District Council gave a presentation on the improvements which would be required to the Giddings & Lewis building in Arbroath to provide office accommodation and car parking.

During the presentation Mr Skempton advised that in Phase 1, 250 staff, reception area, car park and storage could be accommodated at a cost of £850,000 which had been earmarked in Angus District Council’s budget. Phase 2 for a further 25 staff and a meeting room at a cost of £180,000 and Phase 3 for external works etc would cost approximately £150,000. These costs excluded fitting out costs.

Following questions it was agreed that a site visit be held before the next meeting of Angus Council and that officials continue to prepare preliminary plans for the building with a further report being considered at the next meeting.

11. PROPOSED COMMITTEE AND DEPARTMENTAL STRUCTURE

There was submitted Report No AC16/95 by the Chief Executive on proposed Committee and departmental structures for Angus Council which had been compiled having taken into account the views of the Angus Joint Working Party.

The Council approved the terms thereof, subject to a further report from the Chief Executive on the following:-

(i) with regard to the areas of Finance, Personnel, Property, Information Technology, General Purposes and Social Policy, which of the following might be more effective:

(a) 6 Sub-Committees of the Policy and Resources Committee as suggested in the report;

(b) Finance, Personnel and Property each being full Committees of the Council; Information Technology, General Purposes, and Social Policy being Sub-Committees of the Policy and Resources Committee;

(c) A Support Services Sub-Committee covering Finance, Personnel, Property, IT and General Purposes, and a Social Policy Sub-Committee of the Policy and Resources Committee.

(ii) that the Chief Executive should report further as to whether an Economic Development Sub-Committee be established and whether it should be a Sub-Committee of the Planning, Transport and Economic Development Committee or of the Policy and Resources Committee;

(iii) that decisions on numbers of members for Committees/Sub-Committees and frequency of meetings be deferred pending a report from the Chief Executive on the impact of the structure on elected members’ time.

The Council also agreed that with regard to the departmental structure, the basic principles outlined in the report together with the structure detailed in Appendix 4 of Report No AC16/95 be approved with specific points relating to departmental responsibilities being taken into account in drafting job descriptions for Chief Officers and in this connection it was also agreed:-

(a) that arrangements for interviews be made as soon as possible with start dates to be negotiated which took into account both the scale of the task involved in setting up the new departments and the financial context in which the new Council was required to operate in the shadow year;

(b) that in this context, the Chief Executive and the Director of Personnel should explore "twin-tracking" opportunities wherever possible; and

(c) that the Committee and departmental structures detailed in Report AC16/95 be subject to review and possible amendment in May/June 1997.

12. EXCLUSION OF PUBLIC AND PRESS

The Council resolved that the public and press be excluded during consideration of the item recorded at Article 13 below to avoid disclosure of information which was exempt in terms of Part 1 of Schedule 7A of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, Paragraph 1.

13. SALARIES OF CHIEF OFFICERS

Following consideration of Report No AC17/95 by the Chief Executive the Council approved the salaries of the undernoted Chief Officer posts, as detailed in the Report:-

- Director of Property Services 75% of the Chief Executive’s salary (Article 2 hereof refers)
- Director of Housing 75% of the Chief Executive’s salary
- Director of Planning, Transport and Economic Development 75% of the Chief Executive’s salary
- Director of Roads 70% of the Chief Executive’s salary
- Director of Environmental & Consumer Protection 70% of the Chief Executive’s salary
- Director of Recreation Services 60% of the Chief Executive’s salary
- Director of Cultural Services 60% of Chief Executive’s salary
- Economic Development Manager 60% of Chief Executive’s salary
- Contract Services Manager 60% of Chief Executive’s salary

At this point the Council adjourned and resumed at 6.30 pm with the public and press in attendance.

14. STRUCTURE AND FUNCTIONS OF TAYSIDE POLICE

The Convener welcomed Chief Constable Bill Spence, Assistant Chief Constable Bob McMillan, Chief Superintendent Stuart Davidson, Chief Inspector Ron Wilkie, Chief Inspector Alan Thomson, Constable Derek Raitt and Principal Forensic Scientist Mike Baxter to the meeting.

The Chief Constable and his officers together with Mr Baxter then gave a presentation to the Council detailing all aspects of Tayside Police services, with particular reference to services in the Angus Council area.

Following questions the Convener thanked the Chief Constable and his Officers for their interesting and informative presentation.